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|Number
----------------------------------------------------------------
Grade 3 director |1
Grade 4 deputy director |1
Chief inspector (air)<1> |1
Deputy chief inspector (air)<1> |2
Grade 6 |7
District inspector (air)<1> |13
Grade 7 professional |30
Grade 7 administration |6
Inspector (air)<1> |24
Senior scientific officer-Senior professional and
technical officer |16
Senior executive officer |6
Higher executive officer |12
Higher scientific officer |5
Executive officer |16
Scientific officer |4
Administrative officer |22
Administrative assistant |8
Senior personal secretary |1
Personal secretary |<2>16"
Typist |<2>2"
|--
Total |194
<1> Denotes departmental grade inherited from the Health and
Safety Executive.
<2> Includes part-time staff.
Water Privatisation
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals there are for informing local authorities of their responsibilities for monitoring water quality after privatisation.
Mr. Howard : We propose to issue a circular to local authorities in due course.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from manufacturing industries regarding possible effects of privatisation of the water industry on manufacturing industry ; what matters of concern they have expressed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard : Organisations representing manufacturing industry, including the Confederation of British Industry, have commented on a wide range of water privatisation matters, which are being considered in the context of the Water Bill currently before Parliament.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received on the subject of water charges following privatisation of the water industry.
Mr. Howard : Most of the letters that the Department has received about charges after privatisation have sought clarification about the arrangements that will apply.
Standing Charges (Water)
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, when he next meets the chairmen of the water authorities, he will urge them to abolish standing charges on water bills for pensioner customers.
Mr. Howard : No. It is for the water authorities themselves to determine how they structure their charges.
Pensioners on low incomes are more appropriately assisted through income support.
Toxic Waste
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received following (a) the publication of the Select Committee on the Environment report on toxic waste and (b) the publication of the Government's response to that report ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : None, apart from requests as to the publication date of the response.
Football Spectators (Identity Cards)
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters or other communications he has now received from the general public about the football spectators identity card scheme proposal ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : By 16 May I had received 1,522 letters from hon. and right hon. Members, most of which included letters from their constituents, and 4,020 representations directly from members of the general public, about the national membership scheme.
Methyl Chloroform and Carbon Tetrachloride
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals his Department has for controls on the production and use of the compounds methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Although methyl chloroform is significantly less damaging to ozone than the chorofluorocarbons (CFCs), its world-wide production is greater than for any single CFC. Production of carbon tetrachloride is lower, but its potential to deplete ozone is greater than that of the CFCs. Review panels on the science and effects of ozone depletion and on the technical and economic implications of controls are due to report later this year to the parties to the Montreal protocol, who will decide at their meeting in London next year on measures to strengthen the protocol, including the possible inclusion of additional substances.
Methanes
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has commissioned any studies on the effects of methane on humans.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Department plans to commence a two- year study this year on health risks associated with landfill practices, which will include the effects of methane.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will visit the Barky Thorpe road site in Leicester to discuss proposals to excavate methane generating rubbish.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : There are no plans to visit this site. Such matters are the responsibility of the local planning and waste disposal authorities.
Bridge Street (Subway)
Mrs. Peacock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his Department's responsibilities for the subway under Bridge street.
Mr. Chope : The subway is leased by the Department to Westminster city council, which is responsible for its care and maintenance. I understand that the council is considering what works may be needed to stop water seeping into the subway. I will ensure that the hon. Member's concerns about the lack of cleanliness are drawn to the city council's attention.
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Water Authorities (Land)
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what area and proportion of the land owned by regional water authorities was compulsorily purchased.
Mr. Howard : This information is not available centrally.
Sea Mammals
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has assessed the risk of the bottle-nosed dolphin and the harbour porpoise disappearing as breeding species in British coastal waters ; and whether the level of harmful chemicals existing in the bodies of those remaining is the major cause of this decline.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 15 May 1989] : Available evidence based on sightings and strandings of these species, including that compiled by the United Kingdom cetacean group, indicates that there has been a decline in these species in United Kingdom coastal waters. It is not possible to say how far pollutants or other factors such as changes in fish stocks may have contributed to this. The Department of the Environment, together with other interested Departments and agencies, is considering further research to improve our knowledge of the questions.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Recruiting Policies
78. Mr. Jack : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what studies his Department has made into the effectiveness of the recruiting policies adopted by (a) national savings and (b) other similar agencies.
Mr. Brooke : My right hon. Friend keeps Civil Service recruitment policy under continuous review.
Privatisation
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state in current prices the total proceeds to the Exchequer from privatisation since 1979 ; and if he will estimate the likely proceeds from the privatisation of the water and electricity industries.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The net proceeds for privatisation since May 1979 amount to some £24 billion. This is £25.7 billion in 1987-88 prices (using the GDP deflator, which is not yet available for 1988-89 prices).
The proceeds and costs relating to the privatisation of the water and electricity industries will be announced in due course in the usual way.
Passenger Ferries (Safety)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what balancing charges he expects to recover from the seven passenger ferries which do not comply with the enhanced safety standards, and which their owners have declared to be uneconomic to repair.
Mr. Norman Lamont : I cannot comment on the tax affairs of particular individuals or companies.
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Balancing charges are made to recover tax relief given for depreciation of a business asset which turns out to be greater than the depreciation actually experienced. The need to make such a charge depends on the precise circumstances of each case and, in particular, on whether the disposal value exceeds any expenditure on the ship which remains unrelieved for tax purposes.Lloyd's Underwriters
Sir Nicholas Bonsor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of indexed securities which fall within the provision of schedule 11 of the Finance Bill was purchased by Lloyd's Underwriters in 1986 and 1987 respectively.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 15 May 1989] : Schedule 11 of the Finance Bill does not apply to securities disposed of or redeemed before 14 March 1989 or to gilts issued before that date. On the information and advice currently available, the Inland Revenue are not aware of any indexed securities purchased by Lloyd's underwriters in 1986 and 1987 which are chargeable to income tax under the provisions of schedule 11.
ENERGY
Fluid Burning
Dr. Reid : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what investigations or studies have been carried out by his Department into the Swedish fluid burning systems.
Mr. Michael Spicer : My Department is aware of the main technical features of the Swedish fluidised bed combustion systems. It keeps in touch with the retrofit projects at small older power stations in Spain and the United States of America, and with progress with the Vartan plant in Stockholm, which combines power generation and district heating.
Amazonian Rain Forest
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his replies, Official Report, 10 April, columns 563-64, if he will make a statement on the results of his meetings with the President of Electrobras on positive British co-operation with Brazil on problems of power station transmission, construction of nuclear power stations between Sao Paolo and Rio, and measures to protect the ecology of the Brazilian Amazonian rain forest.
Mr. Peter Morrison : At my meeting with the President of Electrobras, I explained the United Kingdom's plans for electricity privatisation and experiences in energy efficiency and offered further discussions with officials in my Department. Electrobras has not yet had an opportunity to take up this offer.
Potassium Iodate Stocks
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the total cost to the Central Electricity Generating Board of its current replacement programme of potassium iodate stocks at power stations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Spicer : This is a matter for the CEGB and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Gentleman direct.
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Bold Power Station
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent cannisters containing radioactive waste are stored at Bold power station ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Spicer : I have been advised by the Central Electricity Generating Board that no canisters containing radioactive waste are stored at Bold coal-fired power station. However, on occasions new uncontaminated transport flasks are stored on the site prior to their transportation to nuclear power stations sites.
Advertising
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide as much information as possible about his Department's expenditure on commercial television advertising, without breaching commercal confidentiality, over each of the past five years.
Mr. Parkinson : Expenditure by my Department on television advertising over the last five years has been as follows :
|£ million
------------------------------
1988-89 |nil
1987-88 |nil
1986-87 |<1>16.3
1985-86 |2.2
1984-85 |1.3
<1> This includes expenditure
of £13.5 million on the
flotation of British Gas. All
other expenditure in this and
prior years is in connection
with the energy efficiency
campaign.
Director General of Electricity Supply
Mr. Ward : To ask the Secretary of State for Department of Energy if he will make a statement about the appointment of the Director General of Electricity Supply.
Mr. Parkinson : Subject to Parliament approving the Electricity Bill, I and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland intend to appoint Professor Stephen Littlechild, currently head of the department of industrial economics and business studies at the University of Birmingham, to be the Director General of Electricity Supply. His formal appointment will be made as soon as possible after Royal Assent and will run initially for a period of five years.
The Director General will have a key role in making the privatised industry function in a competitive, customer sensitive way. He will be responsible for the price control formulae which will govern the supply and transmission of electricity. He will have a particular duty to promote the efficient use of electricity, reflected in a specific condition in the public electricity supply companies' licences. He will have a duty to foster competition and prevent discrimination. He must ensure that the relevant provisions of the Electricity Bill and various licences are observed and, if necessary, modified. He will be responsible for the consumer protection and representation arrangements, and for the electricity meter examining service which will be transferred to the Office of Electricity Regulation from my Department. He will also monitor the non- fossil fuel obligation and the operation of the fossil fuel levy in England and Wales.
Column 388
Professor Littlechild has extensive experience of regulatory issues both in the United Kingdom and abroad. He has worked on the regulatory regime for British Telecom, has been a member of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission for six years, and has a wide knowledge of regulatory systems both here and in the United States of America. He is admirably qualified for the post and my right hon. and learned Friend and I are very happy that he has accepted the job.OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Cyprus
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Warley, East (Mr. Faulds), Official Report, 9 May 1989, column 361 , he will take steps to ensure that in future information is collected as to the destination and purpose of assistance given by the United Nations and its agencies to the different communities in Cyprus.
Mr. Chris Patten : United Nations agencies generally work through the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. It would not be realistic to seek a breakdown of the benefit of United Nations programmes to the Turkish Cypriot community. However, some programmes specifically directed toward this community are listed on page 121 of the "Register of Development Activities of the United Nations System, 1987," a copy of which is in the Library.
Commonwealth Development Corporation
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to respond positively to calls for Her Majesty's Government to increase financial support for the Commonwealth Development Corporation.
Mr. Chris Patten : The Government regard the Commonwealth Development Corporation's operations as an important part of Britain's overall development effort overseas, particularly in relation to the private sector. I propose to increase the level of aid loan support for the CDC by £21 million from £49 million in 1988-89 to £70 million this financial year ; £20 million of this will be additional to the existing agreed aid provision.
PRIME MINISTER
General Practitioners
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Prime Minister if the Jarman index is to be applied to Wales in the proposed general practitioners' contract.
The Prime Minister : This is currently being discussed between the Welsh Office and representatives of the medical profession.
Government Information Officers (Code of Ethics)
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons she will not publish in the Official Report the text of Mr. Ingham's letter to Ms. Elizabeth Jenkins on a code of ethics for Government information officers.
Column 389
The Prime Minister : It is not my usual practice to publish the official correspondence of members of my staff.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Footwear Imports
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what representations he has received from the British footwear manufacturers on proposals for action by the EEC Commission on imports from the far east ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) what information he has on the conclusions of the European Commission on the effects on Britain's footwear industry of the imports from the far east ;
(3) what steps he has taken through the Common Market to reduce imports from the far east into Britain.
Sir John Farr : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will list in the Official Report the steps he has taken in the last 12 months to reduce imports from far eastern sources that are causing damage to the United Kingdom footwear industry ;
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(2) what steps he is proposing to take to encourage EEC officials to come to a conclusion and take action in relation to cheap imports of footwear to the United Kingdom, particularly from the far east, which were investigated in 1988.Mr. Alan Clark : The European Commission has conducted a Community- wide investigation into imports of footwear from Taiwan and South Korea. I have pressed the Commission to report its findings at the earliest possible date and we will consider what action to take immediately the Commission's recommendations are known.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what was the level of imports of shoes from Korea to Britain for each year from 1984 to 1988 and for each month in 1989 ;
(2) what was the level of imports of shoes from Taiwan to Britain for each year from 1984 to 1988 and for each month in 1989.
Mr. Alan Clark : The information is given in the following table :
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United Kingdom imports of footwear
£ million
|January |February|March
|1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1989 |1989
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Korea |28.3 |28.0 |33.0 |50.9 |76.2 |6.8 |6.8 |6.8
Taiwan |51.2 |49.2 |47.1 |69.9 |74.6 |7.7 |7.2 |6.5
Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.
Notes:
Footwear defined as Division 85 of Standard Internation Trade Classification Revisions 2 and
3.
1988 and 1989 data provisional.
Sir John Farr : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list as a percentage, for each of the last 10 available years, imports of footwear into the United Kingdom as a proportion of all supplies to the home market.
Mr. Alan Clark : Imports of footwear into the United Kingdom as a percentage of all supplies to the home market over the last 10 available years were as follows :
|Percentage
---------------------------------
1978 |30
1979 |34
1980 |35
1981 |39
1982 |42
1983 |44
1984 |47
1985 |46
1986 |45
1987 |47
Sir John Farr : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what was the total level of imports of footwear from Taiwan (a) five years ago and (b) at the latest available date ;
(2) what was the total imports of footwear from Korea (a) five years ago and (b) at the latest available date.
Mr. Alan Clark : Imports of footwear from South Korea in 1984 were valued at £28.3 million ; in the period January to March 1989, the latest information available, imports of footwear were valued at £20.4 million. For the
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same periods, imports of footwear from Taiwan were valued at : 1984, £51.2 million ; January to March 1989, £21.4 million.Brewing Industry
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, as part of his consideration of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the supply of beer, he will make it his policy to consider the introduction of a discount on the market price to encourage licensees and tenants to purchase their pubs.
Mr. Maude : We are currently considering a wide range of representations being made on this report and will announce as soon as possible the action we propose to take.
Balance of Payments
Mr. Douglas : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give details of the balance of payments ; current, visible and in manufactures, between the United Kingdom and (a) the whole world and (b) the total European Community, for the year 1988 ; and what was the balance of trade in manufactured goods between the United Kingdom and (i) the whole world, (ii) the total European Community, (iii) each member country of the European Community, and (iv) Japan, for the year 1988.
Mr. Alan Clark : Estimates on a balance of payments basis for the United Kingdom current account, visible trade, and trade in manufactures, for 1988 are as follows :
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Balance of Payments £ billion
Balances
|Current account|Visible trade |Manufactures
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
World |-14.7 |-20.6 |-14.4
European |Not yet
Community |available |-13.5 |-12.6
The balances of trade in manufactured goods for 1988 were :
Table 2
Overseas trade statistics basis<1>, £ billion (
provisional)
|£ billion
------------------------------------------------
World |-17.3
European Community |-13.4
France |-1.1
Belgium and Luxembourg |-0.6
Netherlands |-1.9
Federal Republic of Germany |-8.7
Italy |-1.8
Irish Republic |+0.5
Denmark |-0.1
Greece |+0.2
Portugal |-
Spain |+0.3
Japan |-4.9
<1> Exports fob less imports cif.
European Mortgage Services
Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received any complaints from the public concerning the collapse of European mortgage services ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 19 May 1989] : The Department did not itself receive any complaints from the public concerning European mortgage services before the company was wound up in the public interest on 10 May. Since the winding-up order was made, some 80 claims for the repayment of deposits required by the company have been received by the Official Receiver.
Building Societies
Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he remains satisfied that building societies should remain outside the ambit of the Financial Services Act's investor protection provisions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 19 May 1989] : Any building society which carries on investment business in the United Kingdom must be either an authorised person or an exempted person under the Financial Services Act. In this respect their position under the Act is identical to that of any other person carrying on investment business. Certain requirements imposed by the SIB and the self-regulating organisations recognised under the Act do not apply to building societies--for instance, those relating to financial supervision and the coverage of the compensation scheme. The application of such provisions is a matter for the board or the organisation concerned.
Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to extend the Financial Services Act's investor protection provisions to cover building societies which become plcs under the Building Societies Act 1986 ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 392
Mr. Maude [holding answer 19 May 1989] : A building society which becomes a plce and which carries on investment business is subject to the requirement to be authorised or exempted under the Financial Services Act in the same way as any other person carrying on investment business. The application to such societies of particular requirements of the SIB or a relevant self-regulating organisation recognised under the Act is a matter for the SIB or the organisation concerned.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Human Rights
Mr. Michael Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to incorporate into British law article 10 of the European convention on human rights, which guarantees freedom of expression and information.
Mr. Renton : No. I am satisfied that compliance with the provisions of article 10 of the European convention on human rights presents no difficulty under existing British law.
Prisoners
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total (a) design capacity and (b) occupancy of all prisons in England and Wales ; and if he will estimate to what length of sentence it would be necessary to go in order to reduce the number at (b) to that at (a) assuming that prisoners were released starting at those serving the shortest sentence and working towards those serving longer sentences.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : ON 12 May, the total population of all prison service establishments in England and Wales was 49,100 and the total certified normal accommodation was 44,700--a difference of 4,400. On 31 March 1989, 3,900 sentenced inmates (10 per cent. of the total sentenced population) were serving sentences of six months or less.
Entry Visas
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from the Indian sub-continent have been refused entry to the United Kingdom because they did not have an entry visa since the change in the rules regarding visas in 1986.
Mr. Renton : Between November 1986 and March 1989 (the latest month for which figures are available) about 2,400 citizens of countries within the Indian sub-continent were refused leave to enter and removed from the United Kingdom where the main or only reason for refusal was the absence of a visa.
Private Prisons
Mr. Lawrence : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has received on the possible effect that private prisons might have on the speed of new prison construction, efficiency, humane conditions and hygiene ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : A number of the submissions made in response to the Green Paper "Private Sector
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Involvement in the Remand System" (Cm. 434) contained evidence about claimed benefits from such involvement. In the course of their study, which led to their report to the Home Office, made public on 1 March, the management consultants Deloitte, Haskins and Sells carried out extensive research to determine whether private sector involvement on the lines envisaged would be viable and beneficial. They concluded that, on certain assumptions and subject to further examination of certain issues, private sector involvement in the operation of new remand centres would be feasible and could provide scope for the cost- effective provision of a better standard of service than that now obtained. As my right hon. Friend announced on 1 March at columns 277-8, further work is now in hand to test those findings.Magistrates' Clerks
Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to alter the pay scales of magistrates' clerks.
Mr. John Patten : The national pay scales for court clerks are a matter for the joint negotiating committee for magistrates courts staff.
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